Officer Speaks Out After Finding Cruiser Shot Up Outside Her Home
Follow CBSMIAMI.COM: Facebook | Twitter
SOUTHWEST MIAMI-DADE (CBSMiami) – Miami-Dade police have launched a vandalism investigation after a police officer's cruiser was fired at while parked outside her home.
According to investigators, officers checked out a report of shots fired in the area of SW 181st Street and 104th Avenue on Wednesday night.
When they didn't find any suspicious activity, they left.
CLICK HERE To Watch Natalia Zea's Report
On Thursday morning around 5:00 a.m.; however, an officer reported her vehicle had multiple bullet holes.
The officer, who did not want to be identified, spoke with CBS4's Natalia Zea about the incident.
She was stunned to see the back windshield missing when she made the discovery.
"Initially I thought someone had thrown a rock through the back window but then I realized the car had been shot up....I guess I went into protective mode, police mode," said the officer who is a 19- year veteran of the department.
She called a coworker to start the investigation hoping to find the person who pulled the trigger. But this officer does not believe someone had beef with her personally.
"My gut is telling me it was a random act. That's what I believe. It was a random act," she told Zea.
But she worries this vandalism could soon turn into a bigger crime.
"I pray it was just the car, and not me. I know that throughout the country we've been having incidents of officers being attacked and different things have been happening and I pray that this is not that case," she said.
This crime is impacting the officer's family and her neighborhood.
"It's horrifying. That's all I got to say. This is horrifying.," said the officer's sister-in-law Mitzi.
Neighbor Franklin Miller agrees.
"She's a good lady, she don't bother no one. She does her job. I don't know why they would shoot her car up...They're stupid and ignorant."
Whatever the motive, this attack has given this officer a real sense of fear.
She says she hopes she will not have a tough time sleeping at night, but says more than likely she will.
Police Union President John Rivera says he is thankful the officer wasn't hurt, and says the entire community is at risk if people are brazen enough to target officers in their homes.
The officer has one message to the shooter or shooters.
"I only hope that people understand that yes, we're police officers but we're people first. We have families that we are concerned about, that we take care of. We're out there trying to serve the community, protect the community, and just respect that, continue to respect us if possible. And always remember we're people first," said the officer.
The officer's neighbor told CBS4's Marybel Rodriguez that the officer heard the shots and called it in.
"She called police and said, 'I hear gunshots.' Little did she know it was her police car," said neighbor Alphonso McCray.
"This isn't normal for where we live," said McCray.
Miami-Dade Commissioner Dennis Moss, who oversees District 9 where the shooting took place, wants the public's help to find the shooter and stressed emphatically that the community must get involved.
"We need your help to identify those responsible for this act. It's unacceptable and we are not going to tolerate it," said Moss.
The marked patrol car was towed away as part of the investigation. Nobody was hurt.
